In 1921, the International Olympic Committee voted to stage “International Sports Week 1924” in Chamonix, France. This event was a complete success and was retroactively named the First Olympic Winter Games. The first event to be decided in Chamonix was the men’s 500m speed skating. The first gold medal went to Charles Jewtraw of the United States. A. Clas Thunberg of Finland earned medals in all five speed skating events: three gold, one silver and one bronze. Norway’s Thorleif Haug dominated Nordic skiing, winning both cross-country races and the Nordic combined. The Canadian ice hockey team won all five of their matches, outscoring their opponents 110 to 3.
16 NOCs (Nations)
258 athletes (11 women, 247 men)
16 events
CEREMONIES
Chamonix 25 January 1924. Delegations in the Olympic Stadium.
Official opening of the Games by: Under Secretary for Physical Education, Gaston Vidal
Lighting the Olympic Flame by: For the Winter Games, the flame was lit for the first time in 1952 in Oslo.
Olympic Oath by: Camille Mandrillon (skiing)
Official Oath by: The first officials' oath was sworn at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Anders Haugen (USA) waited 50 years to receive his bronze ski jumping medal. Deprived of his third place because of a marking error, Haugen won his case and obtained his medal aged 83!
The official medal ceremony was not held until 5 February, shortly before the closing speech by Pierre de Coubertin. As some athletes had already gone home, Frantz Reichel presented their medals to other members of their teams.
